Linkless feed system for guns



y 0, 1960 BY. DARSIE ETAL 2,935,914

LINKLESS FEED SYSTEM FOR cums Filed Aug. 5, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTORJ RqQ'e-r H- Enslar Burns Ilnrsia Ma 10, 1960 a. DARSIE ETALLINKLESS FEED SYSTEM FOR GUNS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 5, 1957 ma E 5vu m H r E m R Bum-15 Durs'IE May 10, 1960 B. DARSIE ETAL LINKLESS FEEDSYSTEM FOR GUNS 7 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug. 5, 1957 :1 R m e E R #w L 4@m r m3 Q IFII M 3 2 g -m NEH Q: mv m m A: mm m \N m W r v 8 I I vm mmow 9w mm W MINI m l w z Q: v0 vvfirmzm mm V M 0m NO l Ml/4.5113 .muk, m3mm Y/ M /KW m 1 m mo 1 w I v. 0 M Mm. mo v w y 1960 B. DARSIE ETAL2,935,914

LINKLESS FEED SYSTEM FOR suns Filed Aug. 5, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Eij 53 aA Z w lNV TORJ, Huger H- 512:: Burns Dursia y 1950 B. DARSIE ETAL2,935,914

LINKLESS FEED SYSTEM FOR cums Filed Aug. 5, 1957 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 l 1N11 e a x INVENTORJ Roger H E1151Er' Burns Duraie May 10, 1960 B DARSIEETAL May 10, 1960 B. DARSIE ET AL LINKLESS FEED SYSTEM FOR GUNS 7Sheets-Sheet 7 Filed Aug. 5, 1957 I J!" .F I 1% INVENTOIL Rugs-r H-B11515? Burns Ilursia BY 2,935,914 LINKLESS FEED, SYSTEM FOR GUNS Burns'Darsie, Rockford, 11].,and Roger Herman Casler,

Washington, Conn., assignors to the United States of America asrepresented by the Secretary of the Army l Application August s, 1957,Serial No, 676,454 19.Claims.; a-33) Thisinvention relates tridges toautomatic gun s.

' In the past, the most satisfactory means of storing car-j tridges foruse by automatic guns and of conveying the cartridges to the guns andthe empty cases therefrom have been by belts formed bycartridge-carrying links.

' However, with the rate of fire of automatic guns being increased,there are resulting increases in acceleration and deceleration in thesupply systems, and it is not uncommon now for guns to accelerate fromto 6000 rounds per minute in .2 second and decelerate at the same rate.Because of these rapid changes in motion, link belts have becomeunsatisfactory as separation and breakage frequently occur. It is,therefore, a broad object of this invention to provide for automaticguns a cartridge'supplying system whereby cartridges are transferredfrom a storage drum and moved by in-line contact through a chute to thegun 'With the empty cases being returned to the drum by chute means alsoby in-line contact. It is another broad object 'of this invention toprovide for automatic guns a cartridge supplying system wherein thecartridges and cases are accelerated and decelerated during transferbetween the gun and a storage drum in a manner to minimize the forces ofsuch acceleration and deceleration.

It is still another broad object of this invention to provide a closedlinkless supply system for moving stored cartridges from a supplier to agun and returning the empty cartridge cases to the supplier with thesupplier being synchronized to the gun and the supplier and gun beingprovided with motor units which are joined for mutual assistance.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide a supto systems forsupplying can ply system whereby cartridges are removed from one'end ofa storage drum and the empty cases returned to the opposite end tooccupy the spaces created by the removal of the cartridges.

' It is another specific object of this invention to provide for suchsupply system cartridge chutes comprised of spaced-apart rods whichslidingly support the cartridges and cases during movement to and fromthe gun.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for such a supplysystem a storage drum including radially-disposed partitions whichextend from one end of the drumto the other to form storage spaces forthe cartridges and empty cases and which are helically formed so thatthe axes of the cartridges and cases in such storage spaces are normalto the axis of the drum.

' It is still a further object of this invention to provide for suchsupply system and storage drum a pair of reversible transfer mechanismswhich scoop cartridges from one end of the storage spacesand transferthem through feed chute;

the chute to the gun and place the empty cases in the I opposite ends ofsuch storage spaces.

It is another and still further object of this invention to provide foreach of such transfer mechanisms in such a supply system a transmissionmechanism which pushes the cartridges toward the gun "from the feedingside of the 2,935,914 Patented- Mar. 19610 drum and carries away .fromthe returnchute the empty cases therein, and ascoop disc which scoopssuccessive layers of cartridges from the drum and'places them in thetransmission mechanism or moves the empty cases from the transmissionmechanism and places them' in the drum and which rotates at half thevelocity of the trans mission mechanism. 7

It is still another and further object of this invention to provide forsuch transfer mechanisms a motorized.

scoop disc having a pair of diametrically-opposed inner transfermechanisms rotatably'responsive to rotation of the scoop disc fortransferring cartridgesfrom the to a cooperating transmission mechanismdriven by such scoop disc at approximately twice the speed thereof toalternately receive from the two inner transfer mechanisms a bank ofcartridges for direct transfer'by the transmission mechanism to the feedchute and a bank held instorage for subsequent transfer to the feedchute whereby the amount of'force required to accelerate the cartridgesto the speed of the gun during transfer from the supply drum to the feedchute is much less than that which would have been required if thecartridges were accelerated immediately to the speed of the gun. I

The specific nature of the invention as'well as other objects andadvantages thereof will clearly appear from a description of a preferredembodiment as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the supplier of this invention joined toa gun; a

Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a portion of the chute;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional with a cartridge received therein;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top view of the supplier with the cover partiallybroken away to show the transfer mech-' anism therein; p

Fig. 5 is a view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 4; Fig. 6 is anelevational view of the cam channel in the cover; 1

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the partitions in the drum; 1Fig. 8 illustrates diagrammatically the flow of cartridges and emptycases through the supplier; v Figs. 9-12 illustrate diagrammatically thescheme whereby the-cartridges. are transferred from the druinto the.Figs. 13-17 illustrate schematically the flow of the cartridges fromthe drum to the feed chute;

Fig. 18 is an enlarged perspective view of the inner transfer device; a

Fig. 19 is an enlarged perspective view scoop disc assemblies; and

Fig. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the other of the scoop disc.assemblies with the inner transfer-devicesremoved therefrom.

Shown in the figures. is an automatic machine gun 12 actuated by anelectric motor (not shown) and a cartridge supplier 14 havingcommunication with the feeding mechanism of such gun by a feed chute 16,which sliding- 1y transfers cartridges 18 from the supplier to the gun;and a return chute 20, which slidingly directs the empty cases 22 fromthe gun to the supplier.

Supplier 14 includes a drum 24, which stores an initial supply ofcartridges 18 and receives the empty cases 22 returned from the gun, andtwo similar transfer mecha-v nisms 26 which are mounted on the oppositeends'of such drum so as to be rotatable about the axis thereof, ashereinafter described. One of the transfer mechanisms 26 is mounted tothe feeding end of drum 24 and is.con-. nected to feed chute 16 so as tomove cartridges from drum 24 through such feed chute to gun 12,a's'hei'ein, after explained. The other-one of the transfermecha view ofthe chute p of one of the nisms 26 is mounted to the return end of drum24 and is connected to return chute 20 so as to transfer the empty cases22 flowing through such return chute from gun 12 into drum 24.

Movement is imparted to the line of cartridges 18 in feed chute 16 bythe cartridges transferred thereinto by the associated transfermechanism 26, and the empty cases 22 are moved from gun 12 and throughreturn chute 20 by the cartridges 18 moved into the gun. The transfermechanism 26, mounted between return chute 20 and drum 24, uses theempty cases, as hereinafter explained, to move the supply of cartridgesin the drum toward the feeding end thereof for transfer by the transfermechanism mounted thereto to feed chute 16 whereby the cartridges andempty cases are moved in a closed conveyer system.

It is desirable that the cartridge cases in chutes 16 and 20 be inin-line contact. Because of the approximate two degrees of taper of thecartridge cases, such cases form a circle having a radius of 33.28inches when in contact. Therefore, the chutes 16 and 20 are curved toform a circular path having such a radius and are constructed from fiverods 28 which are spaced by a plurality of U-shaped formers 30 so as tomake five-point sliding contact with the cartridge cases. Two of therods 28 are arranged to engage the cartridge cases on opposite sides ofthe neck portions at the junctions thereof with the shoulders, andanother two on opposite sides of the body portions adjacent the baseswith the fifth slidingly contacting the bases, as is best shown by Figs.2 and 3. Hereby, the cartridges 18 and the empty cartridge cases 22 areslidingly supported with a minimum of structure and weight and areeasily accessible for unloading the chutes.

The transfer mechanisms 26 are driven, as hereinafter explained, by anelectric motor 32, and such motor is connected by a gear train 33 and aflexible drive shaft 34 to a power takeoff 36 on machine gun 12 so thatthe machine gun and supplier 14 are synchronized together. By thisarrangement, too, the motors of the gun and supplier assist each otherin event an overload is placed on one or if one becomes inoperative.

Drum 24 includes an outer cylindrical shell 38 and an inner cylindricalshell 40 which are connected by a plurality of evenly-spaced partitions42 disposed radially therebetween. The partitions 42 are so spaced thata row of radially-disposed cartridges 18 or empty cases 22 may beslidably moved from one end of drum 24 to the other. In the presentembodiment, which is adapted for a machine gun of .60 caliber type,there are thirty-five of the partitions 42 which form an equal number ofstorage spaces 44 extending from one end of drum 24 to the other. One ofthe storage spaces 44 must be empty for a reason to be explainedhereinafter.

As has been previously noted, the cases of the cartridges are taperedand, therefore, in order to have the rows of cartridges 18 and emptycases 22 in the storage spaces 44 stacked so that the axes are normal tothe axis of drum 24, the partitions 42 are helically formed to reducethe contacting areas of the cases whereby the cartridges and empty casesmay be placed in proper position, as explained hereinafter. With drum 24being composed of thirty-five of the partitions 42, the opposite ends ofeach of such partitions are helically displaced at an angle of 107.65degrees when the length of the partition is 25.13 inches, which isrequired for a row containing twenty-six cartridges. Such partitions,too, are contoured to prevent any longitudinal shifting of thecartridges by providing ovoid" portions 46 which extend from one end ofthe partition to the other and are arranged to slidingly'contact thecartridge cases at the junctions of the neck and'shoulder portions whilepassing along the storage spaces 44. Provided on the sides of thepartitions 42 which engage the outer shell 38 are oppositely extendingfoot portions 48 which slidingly contact the bases of the cartridges 18adjacent the rims thereof to space the bases from such outer shell.

Motor 32 is mounted within inner shell 40 and is pro vided with a driveshaft 50 which extends both ways therefrom along the axis of drum 24.Attached to each of the ends of outer shell 38 is a ring gear 52provided with an annular track portion 54 which is normal to the axis ofdrum 24 and which circles such ring gear outside of the teeth portionthereof. Each of the transfer mechanisms 26 is inclosed by a cuplikecover member 56 which is attachable at the open end to the outside ofdrum 24 and is composed of an annular rim portion 58 and a circular endportion 60. The rim portions 58 are increased in diameter adjacent theopen ends and formed thereby are annular shoulders 62 which are spacedfrom the ends of drum 24 when the cover members 56 are mounted thereto.Mounted centrally to each of -the end portions 60 is a ball bearingmember 64 which receives one of the ends of drive shaft 50 to providerotatable support therefor. The portions of the drive shaft 50 withinthe cover members 56 are splined, as noted at 68. Gear train 33 isconnectablev to one of the ends of drive shaft 50 extending through theassociated cover member 56.

Provided through each of the cover members 56 in alignment with thecircular layer of cartridges 18 or. empty cases 22 at the ends of drum24 is a port 70 through which the cartridges or empty cases may. bevpassed. Feed chute 16 is connected to the cover member 56 mounted to thefeeding side of drum 24 and return chute 20 is connected to the covermember mounted to the return side of the drum so as to be in communication with the ports 70.

As has been already noted, the transfer mechanisms 26 are similar inconstruction and, therefore, for clarity and brevity of recitationreference will be made in the following description to the transfermechanism which is mounted to the feeding end of supplier 14, it beingremembered that the function of the transfer mechanism mounted to thereturn end is the reverse of that mounted to the feeding end.

Such transfer mechanism 26 includes a circular scoop disc 72 having ahub portion 74 with a cylindrical hole 76 provided axially therethroughfor receiving one of the extending portions of drive shaft 50. A sleeve78 having internal splines matching the splined portion 68 on the driveshaft, '50 is mounted over such spline portion and is received by hole76. Sleeve 78 is connected to scoop disc 72 so that rotation of driveshaft '50 by motor 32 is transferred to such scoop disc. The radius ofscoop disc 72 is substantially the same as that of outer shell 38 andthe circular area of such scoop is interrupted by twodiametrically-opposed wedge-shaped openings 80 which extend outwardlyfrom hub portion 74. Each of the openings 80 receives an inner transferdevice 82 by which successive layers of cartridges 18 in the end of drum24 are scooped therefrom and transferred through the associated openingto the outside of the scoop disc, as hereinafter explained.

Each of the inner transfer devices 82 includes a bridge 84 which ismounted to the outside of scoop disc 72 at the perimeter thereof so asto bridge the outer end of each of the openings 80. Each of the bridges84 also houses an outer pinion gear 86 which meshes with ring gear 52for travel therearound as scoop disc 72 is rotated. Each of the outerpinion gears 86 is mounted on a shaft 88 adjacent one end thereof sothat a portion of such shaft extends beyond the outer pinion gear toform an axle portion 92. The opposite end of shaft 83 isrotatablyreceived by a ball bearing 90 mounted in hub portion 74, and axleportion 92 is rotatably received by a ball bearing 94 mounted in bridge'84. Bearings 94 and 90 are so disposed that the shafts 88 extendradially from the axis of drum 24 and angularly outward from scoop disc72 for areason to be hereinafter explained.

S A'wheei 96 is fixedly mounted'to each of the axle ortions 92 so as totravel around track 54 and-'assistin rotatably supporting scoop disc 72on drum 24. Another pair of' wheels 98 are rotatably mounted on a pairof axles 100-which extend radially inward from the perimeter of scoopdisc 72, normal to the axis of shaft 88, to provide additional rollingsupport for scoopzdisc-72. Fixed to each of the shafts 88 adjacent outerpinion gear 86 is a sprocket unit 102 which includes an inner sprocket104 and "an outer sprocket 106 which are both of the five-tooth type.The inner sprockets 104 and outer sprockets 106 are arranged to engagethe neck and base portions, respectively, of the end ones of thecartridges '18 in the storage spaces 44 of drum 24.

Inner sprockets 104 engage the neck portions of the cartridges 18adjacent the shoulders thereof with the bases having contact with outerpinion gear '86 whereby such cartridges are held against longitudinaldisplacement while being moved by the sprocket unit 102. In order toobtain proper rolling contact between the sprockets 104 and 106 whilerolling over the end cartridges in drum 24, the outer perimeters ofsuchsprockets are are ranged to form a cone having its apex on the axisof drum 24 as the pitch diameters of inner sprocket 104 and outersprocket'106 should vary in proportion to the distances from the axis ofdrum 24, as is best illustrated by Fig. 5. With sprocket unit '102 beingof the five-tooth type, the cone angle is approximately 16 degrees, andas the axes of the cartridges in drum 24 are normal to the axis thereof,

the sides of the sprockets 104 and106 next to the drum should also benormal to the axis of the drum. Consequently; bearings 90 and 94 are sorelated that the axes of the'shafts 8'8 incline approximately eightdegrees outwhich are arcuately formed to cooperate with the sprocketunits 102 in guiding the cartridges 1'8 picked up by such sprocket unitsfrom drum 24 through the associated openings '80 to the outside of scoopdisc 72. Pivotally mounted to each of the scoops 108 so as to form anextension of the ramp portions 112 thereon is an extension member 114provided with a pair of finger portions 118 which extend outwardlybeyond such ramp portions to guide the cartridges 18 removed from thestorage spaces 44 by the sprocket units 102 in a circular path to a pairof transmission mechanisms. 136 which are fully described hereinafter.The ends of the partitions 42 are out out, as noted at 116, to permitengagement of the spnoc'ket units 102 with the end ones of thecartridges in the storage spaces 44.

The extension members 114'are each mounted on a rod 120 which isrotatably received by a pair of holes in the ramp portions 112 of thescoops 108. An arm 122 is fixedly mounted atone end to the outer end ofeach of the rods 120 and mounted'to the free end of each of the arms122, so as to extend outwardly therefrom, is a shaft 124 which rotatablysupports a roller 126. The

arms 122 are so fixed to the rods 120 that when the extension members1'14 are in normal positions with the finger portions 118 thereonforming an extension of ramp portions 112,. the rollers 126 are inrolling engagement with a shoulder 62. Each of the rollers 126 is heldin engagement with shoulder 62 by a spring-biased plunger 128 which ismounted in bridge member 84 so as to press against arm 122 adjacent thefree end thereof.

Provided on the inner side of each of the scoop discs 72 are two pairsof semicircular radially spaced cam wipers 1-30 extending from one sideof one of the openings 80 to the scoop 108 which is mounted on the nearside of the other one of the openings with the corresponding ones of thecam wipers in such pairs beingin linewith each other. The cam wipers 130in each of the p'airs'are concentric with scoop disc72 and are 'radiallynormal to the axis of drum 24. Each of such pairs of,

cam wipers also progressively develops inwardly. towards the respectiveends of the partition 42and in the direction leading to the scoop 108the distance of the diameter of cartridge 18.

The two scoop discs 72 are mounted on driveshaft 50 so that relativeportions of the cam wipers 130 on such two scoop discs are movedsimultaneously to opposite ends of the storage spaces 44 and so that thelength of the storage spaces is maintained as a multiple ofthe diameterof the rounds. Thus, during a half-rotation'of the scoop. discs 72 thecolumns of cartridges 18 in the storage spaces 44 are movedprogressively toward the feeding end of drum 24 in a double spiral,inasmuch as the two pairs of the cam wipers 130 on the scoop disc 72mounted on the return end of supplier 14 progressively cam thecartridges 18 in the storage spaces toward the feedingend of thesupplier and the cam wipers on the feeding end are simultaneouslyrotated to make room for the cartridges until they are in position to bepicked up by the sprocket units 102. r Y

The cartridges which are scooped from the open ends of the storagespaces 44 in drum 24 and moved by the two inner transfer devices 82 tothe outside of the scoop discs 72 are received by a transmissionmechanism 136. Such transmission mechanism 136 is mounted for rotationbetween scoop disc 72 and cover member 56 and includes an inner retainerassembly 138 and an outer retainer assembly 140 arranged, as hereinafterdescribed, to provide thirty-three radially-disposed spaces 141 forreceiving cartridges from the inner transfer devices 82. Outer retainerassembly 140 is composed of an outer ring gear portion 142 which mesheswith the outer pinion gears 86 so as to be rotated thereby and anannular track portion 144 which encircles such ring gear portion aroundthe outside thereof so as to be contacted by the wheels 96 and 98 toprovide rolling contact between such outer assembly and scoop disc 72.Outer retainer assembly 140 is maintained in contact with the wheels 96and 98 by a plurality of spherical buttons 146 which are mounted on theunderside of end portions 60 of cover member 56 forcontact with theouter side of outer ring gear portions 142 which is finished to providea smooth engaging surface for the buttons.

Extending radially inward from the inner periphery of outer ring gearportion 142 are thirty-three base fins 152 which are spaced to receivetherebetween the base por tions of the cartridges 18. The base fins 152are also twisted angularly around the longitudinal axis thereof tofacilitate reception of the cartridges therein from the inner transferdevices 82 and extraction therefrom during rotation of outer retainerassembly 140 relative to scoop disc 72. The ,base fins 152 extendinwardly-with the free. ends being approximately in line with the outerones of the cam wipers 130. i Inner retainer assembly 138 includes a hubportion 154 which is recessed at the inner side to receive a ballbearingmember 156 which contacts hub portion 7.4 of scoop disc 72 to providerolling support for such inner assembly. Provided on the inside of hubportion 154 is an inner ring gear portion 158 which is driven by aninner pinion gear 160 fixedly mounted to each of the shafts 88. Ex-.

tending outwardly from hub portion 154 are thirty-three nose fins 162which are spaced to receive the neck and projectile portions of thecartridges received by'the base fins 152 and which cooperate with suchbase fins to form the spaces 141. The nose fins 162 are twistedangularly similar to base fins 152 to facilitate the reception of thecartridges therebetween andv the extraction of the car- 2,985,91 &

164 between such nose fins and the base fins 152. Inner pinion gear 160and inner ring gear portion 158 are so designed that inner retainerassembly 138 is driven at the same rate as outer retainer assembly 149to maintain the base fins 152 and nose fins 162 in alignment.

Mounted to the inside of cover member 56 adjacent the side of port 70,which is on the far side thereof respective to the direction of rotationof the transmission mechanism 136, is a comb 174 which extendsangularlydownward into clearance 164 to cammingly engage the cartridges18 in the rotating transmission mechanism and transfer such cartridgesupwardly through port '70 and against the line of cartridges in feedchute 16 whereby the torque ofsuch transmission mechanism is appliedagainst such line of cartridges to contactably move the cartridges togun 12. Comb 174 is positioned relative to the empty one of the storagespaces .4 in drum 24 so that the last one of the cartridges in the bankpreceding the empty space is moved over the comb while the leading oneof the cartridges in the bank formed after such empty space is movedunder such comb as is especially well illustrated in Figs. 8-l2.

As has already been explained and as is illustrated schematically byFigs. 13-17, the two outer layers of cartridges 18 in drum 24 arescooped simultaneously by the two diametrically-opposed inner transferdevices 82 which are mounted to the scoop disc 72 that rotates atone-half the rate of the cooperating transmission mechanism 136. Suchfigures show schematically how, while one of the irmer transfer devices82 is scooping up a layer of cartridges 18 from drum 24 and moving suchcartridges directly into feed chute 16, the other one is scooping upanother layer of cartridges and laying them in the spaces 141 in thetransmission mechanism 136 to build up a storage bank during onerevolution of scoop disc 72 with the functions of such inner transferdevices being reversed during the following revolution of such scoopdisc.

As shown diagrammatically by Figs. 8-12, interferences would occur attimes between the cartridges being transferred by comb 174 to feed chute16 and the finger portions 118 if such finger portions were immovablyfixed to the scoops 108. Consequently, there is provided in rim portion58 of cover member 56 a plate 170 having therein a cam channel 172 whichinterrupts shoulder 62 and is disposed so as to receive the rollers 126at one end and return such rollers into engagement with shoulder 62 atthe other end. Cam channel 172 is so generated that the finger portions118 are pivoted inwardly to a retracted position by the movement of therollers 126 along such cam channel during rotation of scoop disc 72while passing by comb 174. In addition, the empty one of the storagespaces 44 is coordinated with the movement of the extension members 114,as shown by Figs. 8l2, so that a cartridge 18 will not be in engagementwith the finger portions 118 to interfere with the retraction thereof.

It will be noted in such figures that the paths of the cartridgesdesignated as 34A, which is the last round from the bank A formed infront of comb 174 to go out port 70 int-o feed chute 16, and 1A, whichis the first cartridge in bank A formed behind such comb, are separatedsufficiently by virtue of the blank one of the storage spaces 44, toprevent interference therebetween as the sprocket unit 102 passes thecomb. If there were a cartridge in the sprocket unit 102 between suchcartridges 34A and 1A, it would have interfered with comb 174, cartridge1B, which is the first cartridge in the bank B, and extension member114. Figs. 8-12 also show how extension member 114, when in normalposition, serves to guide the cartridges 18 into transmission mechanism136 in a circular path about the axis of sprocket unit 102 and,moreover, how after round 34A has passed through port 70, fingerportions 118 are retracted by cooperation of cam channel 172 to allowcartridges 1B and 2B to contact comb174 at the proper point and how thefinger portions 1 1 8.,a,re .returned to normal extended position inorder to permit the passage of round 1A into transmissionmechanism 136.

However, by leaving one of the storage spaces 44 empty to assist inpreventing the aforementioned interference, there is an interruption inthe flow of cartridges 18 picked up by the inner transfer devices 32from the ends of the storage spaces 44. Therefore, so as to fill theconsecutive spaces 141 in transmission mechanism 136 and obtain anuninterrupted delivery of the cartridges from the transmission mechanismto feed chute 16, there are two less spaces 141 in the transmissionmechanism than there are storage spaces 44 in drum 24, and suchtransmission mechanism is speeded up correspondingly so that the spaces141 therein register with the spaces in the sprocket units 102. Forexample, drum 24 of the selected embodiment has thirty-five of thestorage spaces 44 therein. As one of the storage spaces 44 is emptytransmission mechanism 136 is provided with thirty-three spaces and itsspeed is times the speed of the scoop disc. Thus, for one revolution ofscoop disc 72, transmission mechanism 136 has to revolve times. Thisspeed ratio is provided in large part by the shafts 88 being angularlyrelated to the axis of drum 24 whereby the diameter of outer ring gearportion 142 is smaller than that of inner ring gear portion 158. Thebalance of the required speed adjustment is obtained through a specialpitch relationship provided between outer ring gear portion 142 and theouter pinion gears 86.

Provided around the outside of scoop disc 72 is a pair of rails 166which are concentric with such scoop disc and are interrupted by theopenings 80. The rails 166 are arranged to contact one side of the bodyportions of the cartridges 18 while being carried by transmissionmechanism 136. A pair of rails 168 on the inside of cover member 56slidingly contact the opposite sides of the cartridges in transmissionmechanism 136 to slidingly support the cartridges received by the spaces141.

Operation Gun 12 is prepared for operation when supplier 14, feed chute16 and return chute 20 are filled with cartridges 18. Gun 12 is fired byclosing the electric circuit to the motor thereof by a switch mechanism(not shown) which at the same time energizes motor 32 of supplier 14.Thereafter, supplier 14 is synchronized to the needs of gun 12 by geartrain 33 and flexible drive shaft 34.

When motor 32 is energized, the cartridges 18 in feed chute 16 areforced toward gun 12 by the pressure applied thereagainst by thetransmission mechanism 136 on the feed side of supplier 14. As gun 12fires, the cartridges 18 moved thereinto from feed chute 16 are replacedin the system by the cartridges in return chute 20 until the empty cases22, placed in return chute 20 by the ejection mechanism of gun 12, reachdrum 24 and thereby the cartridges in such return chute increase thesupply of cartridges in the system.

Because the transfer mechanism 26 on the return side of supplier 14rotates with that on the feed side, the empty cases 22 are moved downcomb 174 into the rotating transmission mechanism 136 and are picked uptherefrom by the inner transfer devices 82 to be placed into the ends ofthe storage spaces 44 in drum 24 from which the cartridges 18 arescooped by the inner transfer devices at the feeder side. As the emptycases 22 are laid into the ends of the storage spaces 44, they areprogressively cammed toward the feeder end by the rotating cam wipersthe distance of the diameter of cartridge 18 and thereby the cartridgesin the storage spaces ahead thereof are moved into position to bescooped up by the inner transfer devices 82 on the feeder side. Thus,the cartridges 18 and empty cases 22 move in a double spiral from thereturn to the feed side of drum 24.

By this mechanism, it is seen thatthe forces ofaccelr q nd. sss r a mp re Q h: i a d es.

1.8 and empty cases 22 in the system during transfer between gun 12 anddrum'24 are considerably reduced by the speed of the scoop discs 72being one-half that of the transmissionmechanisms 136 which produces agradual acceleration and deceleration during the transitiOn' of thecartridges and cases between the substantially zero velocity thereof inthe drum and the high degree of velocity when moving in feed chute 16and return chute 20 at gun speed. V I

It is also noted that, because the transfer mechanisms 26 are identical,the feeder system of the present invention may be reversed, if founddesirable, by changing the direction of rotation of electric motor 32.Further, it is apparent that subject system provides an improved meansfor feeding a gun without the use of links and for disposing of theempty cases with subject system being rugged in construction andpositive in operation.

Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described indetail herein, it is evident that many variations may be devised withinthe spirit and scope thereof and the following claimsare intended toinclude such variations.

We claim:

' '1. A cartridge supplier for a gun, including a drum for storing'asupply of cartridges stacked in a plurality of rows extending from oneend of said drum to the other, said 'rows being helically disposedwhereby each cartridge is supportingly positioned by the adjacent onesthereof in the rows for right angular disposition relative to thelongitudinal axis of said drum, and a closed conveyer system extendingthrough said drum and the gun for feeding the cartridges to the gun andreturning empty cases therefrom to said drum to continuously move thesupply of cartridges therein towards the gun.

' 2. A cartridge supplier for a gun operable at a' predetermined rate,including a drum for storing a supply of cartridges, a closed conveyersystem extending through said drum and the gun for feeding thecartridges to the gun and returning empty cases therefrom to said drumto continuously move the supply of cartridges therein towards the gun,and a pair of similar transfer mechanisms adapted to remove thecartridges from said drum and replace the empty cases therein atapproximately one-half gun rate.

- 3. A cartridge supplier for a gun having an operating motor, saidsupplier including a drum for storing a supply of cartridges, 2. closedconveyer system extending through said drum and the gun for feeding thecartridges to the gun and returning empty cases therefrom to said drumto continuously move the supply of cartridges therein towards the gun,motor means for driving said conveyer system, and means forsynchronizing said conveyer system to the needs of the gun and forconnecting the operating motor to said motor means to providecooperation therebetween.

, 4. A cartridge supplier for a gun, including -a drum for storing asupply of radially disposed cartridges in helical rows, and a closedconveyer system extending through said drum and the gun for feeding thecartridges to the gun and returning empty cases therefrom to said drumto. continuously move the supply of cartridges therein towards the gun,and including transfer means for gradually accelerating the cartridgesduring movement from said drum to the gun and decelerating the emptycases during movement from the 'gun to said drum, and cam means'engageable with the empty cases moved to said drum for moving thesupply of cartridges therein towards the gun.

5. A cartridge supplying device for a gun, including adrum for-storing asupply of cartridges, radial partifor delivering cartridges from one endof said spaces to the gun, similar means for delivering empty cases fromthe gun to the opposite ends of said' spaces, and

rotatable cam means cooperating with the-empty cartridge cases deliveredto said spaces for continuously moving the rows of cartridges in saidspaces towards said one end of said spaces and in spiral arrangement forpickup by said cartridge delivering means. 6. The device of claim 5wherein said rotatable ,cam means includes cam wipers disposed forsliding engagement with the cartridges and empty cases in said spacesand being disposed to'position the engaged'empty cases so that the axesthereof are disposed normal to the axis of said drum, and having anangular development whereby the empty cases and cartridges are moved thedistance of the diameter thereof towards the gun during V one-halfrevolution of said cam wipers.

7. The device of claim5 wherein said rotatable cam means is comprised oftwo pairs of semicircular cam wipers having sliding engagements with thecartridges and empty cases in said spaces when said cam wipers arerotated for moving the cartridges and empty cases in a double spiraltowards the gun.

8. A cartridge supplying device for a gun operable at a predeterminedrate, including a drum for holding a supply of cartridges disposedradially therein in a plurality of layers, chute means havingcommunication with one end of said drum for slidingly conveying saidcartridges to the gun and with an opposite end of said drum forslidingly conveying the empty cases thereto from the gun, a first scoopdevice rotatably mounted to said one end of said drum for scoopingsuccessive layers of car scooped up by said first scoop device andforcingthem through said chute means to the gun at gun rate, a secondscoop device rotatably mounted to said opposite-end of said drum, asecond transmission mechanism'for receiving empty cases from the gun andmoving them to said second scoop device for placement thereby insuccessive layers in said drum to move the supply of cartridges towardssaid first scoop devicevin position to be picked up thereby.

9. 'A cartridge supplying device for a gun, including a drum for holdinga supply of cartridges disposed radially therein in a plurality oflayers, chute means having communication with one end of said drum forslidingly conveying the cartridges to the gun and with; an op poste endof said drum for slidingly conveying the empty cases thereto from thegun, a first scoop device rotatably mounted to said one end of said drumfor scooping successive layers of cartridges therefrom, a firsttransmission mechanism for receiving the cartridges scooped up by saidscoop device and forcing them through said chute means to the gun, asecond scoop device rotatably' mounted to the opposite end of said drum,a second transmission mechanism for receiving empty cases from the gunand moving them to said second scoop" means for placement thereby insuccessive layers insaid drum,

and cam means disposed for rotation with said second scoop device andfor engagement with the empty cases placed in said drum for moving thesupply of cartridges towards said first scoop means in position to bescooped thereby.

10. A cartridge supplying device for a gun, including chute means fordelivering cartridges to the gun and empty cases therefrom, a drumcomprising a cylindrical outer shell, a cylindrical inner shell andapl'urality ofhelical partitions for dividing the space between saidouter and inner shells into equal helical storage spaces extending fromone end of said drum to the other for lidably .receiyingradially-disposed roigs. Iof cartridges,

a motor mounted within said inner shell, a transfer mechanism includinga scoop device mounted to one end of said drum for rotation by saidmotor, a scoop portion extending from said scoop device into said drumto scoop therefrom the end ones of the cartridges in said storagespaces, cutout portions in said partitions for receiving said scoopportion to permit the engagement thereof with the end ones of thecartridges away from the dead center thereof, sprocket means mounted tosaid scoop device for rotation thereby and disposed to successivelyengage the cartridges scooped from said drum, means for transferringrotation of said scoop device to said sprocket means for moving thecartridges scooped from said drum away therefrom, a transmissionmechanism engaged with said sprocket means for rotation thereby anddisposed to receive the cartridges from said sprocket means and forcethe cartridges through said chute means to the gun, and a similartransfer mechanism mounted to the oppoiste end of said drum foractuation by said motor and disposed for receiving the empty cases fromsaid chute means and placing them in the opposite ends of said storagespaces.

11. A cartridge supplying device for a gun, including chute means fordelivering cartridges to the gun and empty cases therefrom, a drumcomprised of a cylindrical outer shell, a cylindrical inner shell, and aplurality of helical partitions for dividing the spaces between saidouter and inner shells into equal helical storage spaces extending fromone end of said drum to the other for slidably receivingradially-disposed rows of cartridges, a motor mounted within said innershell, 2. transfer mechanism including a scoop device mounted on one endof said drum for rotation by said motor, sprocket means mounted to saidscoop device for rotation thereby to successively engage the end ones ofthe cartridges in said storage spaces for removal therefrom, means fortransferring rotation of said scoop device to said sprocket means formoving the cartridges removed from said storage spaces by said sprocketmeans away from said drum, a transmission ".echanism engaged with saidsprocket means for rotation thereby, said transmission mechanism beingcooperable with said sprocket means for receiving the cartridgestherefrom, means for transferring the cartridges from said transmissionmechanism to said chute means for delivery to the gun, a similartransfer mechanism mounted to the opposite end of said drum and actuatedby said motor for receiving the empty cases passed from the gun to saidchute means and placing the empty cases in the opposite ends of saidstorage spaces, and cam means mounted to said scoop device forcooperation with the empty cases placed in said storage spaces formoving the cartridges therein in a double spiral towards the other oneof said transfer mechanisms and into position to be picked up by saidsprocket means.

12. A cartridge supplying device for a gun operable at a predeterminedrate, including a drum for storing layers of cartridges in radialdisposition, a closed conveyer system extendng through said drum and thegun for feeding the cartridges to the gun and returning empty casestherefrom to said drum to continuously move the supply of cartridgestherein towards the gun and including a transfer mechanism comprising ascoop disc mounted for rotation at one end of said drum, a pair of innertransfer devices mounted to said scoop disc for removing the two layersof cartridges adjacent thereto from said drum during one rotation ofsaid scoop disc at approximately one-half gun rate, and a transmissionmechanism for receiving the cartridges from said inner transfer devicesand alternately delivering the cartridges received there from directlyto the gun and to a storage bank for subsequent delivery to the gun atgun rate to reduce the force required to accelerate the cartridges up tothe speed of the gun during transfer from said drum.

13'. A cartridge supplyingdevice for a gun, including a drum for storinglayers of cartridges in radial disposi tion, a closed conveyer systemextending through said drum and the gun for feeding the cartridges tothe gun and returning empty cases therefrom to said drum to continuouslymove the supply of cartridges therein towards the gun and including afirst transfer mechanism comprising scoop means mounted for rotation atone end of said drum, a pair of inner transfer devices mounted to saidscoop means for simultaneously removing two successive layers ofcartridges from said drum, a transmission mechanism for receivingcartridges from said inner transfer devices and alternately deliveringthe cartridges directly to the gun and to a storage bank therein forsubsequent delivery to the gun and thereby reducing the forces requiredto accelerate the cartridges up to the speed of the gun, a similarsecond transfer mechanism mounted to the opposite end of said drum forreceiving the empty cases from the gun and reducing the forces ofdeceleration produced when the empty cases are transferred to said drum,with said first and second transfer mechanisms being reversible tochange the direction of movement of the cartridges and the empty casesin said conveyer system.

14. A cartridge supplying device for a gun, including a drum for storinglayers of cartridges therein in radial disposition, a closed conveyersystem extending through said drum and the gun for feeding thecartridges to the gun and returning empty cases therefrom to said drumto continuously move the supply of cartridges therein towards the gunand including a first transfer mechanism comprising a scoop disc mountedfor rotation at one end of said drum, a pair of inner transfer devicesmounted to said scoop means for removing successive layers of cartridgesfrom said drum and a transmission mechanism which receives cartridgesfrom said inner transfer devices for alternately delivering thecartridges directly to the gun and to a storage bank for subsequentdelivery to the gun and thereby reducing the forces of accelerationrequired to transfer the cartridges from the drum to the gun, a similarsecond transfer mechanism mounted to the opposite end of said drum forreceiving the empty cases from the gun and reducing the forces ofdeceleration produced during the transfer of the empty cases from thegun to said drum, cam means mounted to said scoop disc of said secondtrans-fer mechanism for cooperation with the empty cases delivered tosaid drum for continuously moving the supply of cartridges towards saidfirst transfer mechanism in a double spiral, and similar cam meansmounted to said scoop disc of said first transfer mechanism formaintaining the cartridges and empty cases in contact during movementthereto and for placing the cartridges in position to be removed by saidinner transfer devices.

15. A cartridge supplying device for a gun, including a drum for holdinga supply of cartridges disposed radially therein in a plurality oflayers, chute means for slidingly conveying cartridges to the gun, scoopmeans rotatable respective to said drum for removing successive layersof the cartridges from said drum, a transmission mechanism rotatable bysaid scoop means and having radial fins spaced to receive cartridgesfrom said scoop means and transfer the torque of said transmissionmechanism to successive ones of the cartridges engaged thereby, and acomb for disengaging the cartridges from said transmission mechanism andconverting rotational movement of the cartridges therein to in-linemovement in said chute means for moving the preceding cartridges thereinto the gun.

16. A cartridge supplying device for a gun, including chute meansleading to and from the gun, a drum comprising an inner-cylindricalshell, an outer cylindrical shell and a plurality of partitions forconcentrically joining said inner and. outer shells and forming storagespaces for slidingly receiving. rows. of cartridges and the cases of thecartridges after being fired by the gun, a ring gear gaged by said scoopto the opposite side of said disc,

pinion gears engaged with said sprocket units and meshed with said ringgear for transferring rotation of said disc I to said sprocket unit, atransmission mechanism engaged by gear means to said pinion gears forrotation thereby at a rate greater than that of said disc, radial spacesin said transmissionmechanism for consecutively receiving the cartridgesremoved from said drum by said sprocket units,

a comb extending into said transmission mechanism for ,camming thecartridges therefrom into said chute means for passage to the gun, and asimilar second transfer mechanism mounted to the opposite end of saiddrum for receiving the fired cases from said chute means and placing thecases in said drum at the oppoiste ends of the rows from which thecartridges are removed by said first transfer mechanism.

17. The device of claim 16 including cam means mounted to said disc ofsaid second transfer mechanism for engagement with the fired casesplaced in the rows for moving the rows continuously towards said firsttransfer mechanism, and similar cam means mounted to said disc of saidfirst transfer mechanism for synchronized rotation with said cam meansof said second transfer mechanism to maintain the rows of cartridges andfired cases in contact and position the cartridges for pick up by saidinner transfer devices of said first transfer mechanism.

18. The device of claim 16 wherein one of said spaces in said drum isleft empty of cartridges or empty cases and said transmission mechanismis provided with two less spaces than said drum and whereby said gearmeans and said pinion gears cooperate to rotate said transmissionmechanism times the rate of said scoop mechanism wherein X repre sentsthe number of spaces in said drum, and including an extension memberpivotally mounted to said scoop for reception between said base and nosefins fordireeting the movements of the cartridges moved by said sprocketunit to said transmission mechanism, an arm mounted to said extensionmember, a cover for said transfer mechanism,

an annular shoulder around the inside of said cover, a roller mounted tosaid arm for contact with said shoulder to maintain said extensionmember in normal position, a cam channel interrupting said shoulder forreceiving said roller when said extension members are adjacent said comband said empty one of said spaces to pivot said extension member awayfrom interference with the move ment of the cartridges transferred bysaid comb to said chute.

19. A cartridge supplier for a gun, including a drum 9 for storing asupply of cartridges provided with tapered cases, a closed conveyorsystem extending through said drum and the gun for feeding thecartridges to the gun and returning the empty cases therefrom to saiddrum to continuously move the supply of cartridges therein towards thegun, a plurality of radial partitions in said drum each extending fromone end thereof to the other and spaced to form spaces for storing thesupply of cartridges in rows moveable from one end of said drum to theother, said partitions being helically formed to position the cartridgesangularly relative to the adjacent ones in the rows and to maintain therelative angular positions of the cartridges so that the longitudinalaxes thereof remain normal to the longitudinal axis of said drum whilethe'cartridges are slidingly guided therethrough by (the partitions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,244,794 Stuant Oct. 30, 1917 1,413,694 Vollmer Apr. 25, 1922 1,629,652Browning May 24, 1927 2,310,884 Trevaskis Feb. 9, 1943 2,477,264 Pearsonet a1. July 26, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS 557,359 Italy Feb. 14, 1957

